"Lack of enforcement of smoking ban"

Upon entering the Hull Royal Infirmary grounds on the morning of 21st February 2018 with my 5-year old daughter I noticed a bold sign declaring with great authority a carte blanche statement that all smoking on the HRI hospital site was outlawed. Imagine then my shock, disappointment and dismay as I approached the hospital’s main entrance to see a tall middle-aged man brazenly smoking a cigarette in full view of all and sundry. He did so with complete impunity. I immediately reported this smoking breach to the young woman sat on the reception. She was totally unmoved and gave the impression that this smoking infringement was a normal course of events. She said that security would pick him up and move him on. I informed her that I had not seen any security present. I suggested that she phone security there and then to alert them to this smoking contravention. Whether or not she did I have no idea.

What is the point of having statements stating all smoking banned on HRI grounds and then failing to enforce this? If this smoking ban is not enforced then there is no point having signs to this effect? Passive smoking is lethal – more lethal than first hand smoking. My daughter, myself and other patients and hospital visitors were placed at risk of passive smoking because of the failure of security and hospital staff to enforce the hospital’s blanket ban on smoking on HRI premises. The NHS is always whining about lack of funds and saving money – yet here we have a situation where NHS staff appear apathetic about enforcing a smoking ban, which leads to diseases which cost the NHS and therefore the taxpayer millions upon millions.